004d - Sara and Ana’s 1st diving trip

[Ramona]

Sara smiles at Ana's reaction. "Four dads too, and um... maybe 14 or 15 sibs between blood, half blood and line...at home I mean, depending on if Mama Ellspeth had her baby or not. Every line family is pretty much it's own village. When you live on an orbital... well privacy isn't much of a thing."

Sara shrugs. "As for going back... I don't know. They all seem pretty happy living quietly in the hab, running the family business and marrying kids off to other lines." She sighs, shaking her head "I don't know if that will ever be for me." She pauses.

"Foix wasn't wrong, you know. I don't know much about combat. Not like you guys. It was.... I guess it was just that he up and said that I didn't even get a say."

“Must have been nice, quiet,” Ana says softly, “I never knew my dad. I mean I suppose I might have met him, who knows he could have been dead, wasn’t important, just a means to an end for my mother, an heir. Anastasia Bleikthjarta Kråkedóttir,” she shrugs, the words are guttural, angular and hard on Sara’s ears. “Not that girl any more.”

A small unpleasant grin spreads across Ana’s face. “If you want to learn how to fight, my life has been about conflict since before I can remember, Foix can teach you the art of fighting, I can teach you the nasty business behind the art. If you’re interested.”

[lenusmars]

“Must have been nice, quiet,” Ana says softly, “I never knew my dad. I mean I suppose I might have met him, who knows he could have been dead, wasn’t important, just a means to an end for my mother, an heir. Anastasia Bleikthjarta Kråkedóttir,” she shrugs, the words are guttural, angular and hard on Sara’s ears. “Not that girl any more.”

A small unpleasant grin spreads across Ana’s face. “If you want to learn how to fight, my life has been about conflict since before I can remember, Foix can teach you the art of fighting, I can teach you the nasty business behind the art. If you’re interested.”

Sara looks concerned, maybe with a bit of chagrin on her face when Ana talks about not knowing her Dad. When Ana asks about fighting, she says. "Well, it is something I should be better at, I think, if I'm going to stay out here... so, yeah, if you're willing, though I won't y'know... probably ever see as much fighting as you and Foix have. Um... so was your mom someone important... I mean with wanting an heir and all?"

[Ramona]

Sara looks concerned, maybe with a bit of chagrin on her face when Ana talks about not knowing her Dad. When Ana asks about fighting, she says. "Well, it is something I should be better at, I think, if I'm going to stay out here... so, yeah, if you're willing, though I won't y'know... probably ever see as much fighting as you and Foix have. Um... so was your mom someone important... I mean with wanting an heir and all?"

“If you’re lucky you won’t see any, not up close, bad enough at a distance, changes you.” Ana smiles but it feels forced. “If you want to learn, I can teach you how to survive.”

“My mother was Kråken and no, not the sea monster. Well I mean she kind of was a monster, just not that kind. It’s an old word, means The Crow. She was a war-chief a general, I was supposed to follow in her footsteps and be Kråkedóttir, daughter of the Crow. She was a miserable, slave driving old battleaxe,” Ana shrugs, “made me what I am today, for better or for worse.”

“Anyway, she died when I was 10 or 12, and no one wanted a kid as the new war chief, no matter what she’d taught me or how much influence she’d had. I went on, did my own thing and a hundred years later here I am.”

[lenusmars]

“If you’re lucky you won’t see any, not up close, bad enough at a distance, changes you.” Ana smiles but it feels forced. “If you want to learn, I can teach you how to survive.”

"Would you want to, though?" Sara asks. "It seems to make you sad."

“My mother was Kråken and no, not the sea monster. Well I mean she kind of was a monster, just not that kind. It’s an old word, means The Crow. She was a war-chief a general, I was supposed to follow in her footsteps and be Kråkedóttir, daughter of the Crow. She was a miserable, slave driving old battleaxe,” Ana shrugs, “made me what I am today, for better or for worse.”

“Anyway, she died when I was 10 or 12, and no one wanted a kid as the new war chief, no matter what she’d taught me or how much influence she’d had. I went on, did my own thing and a hundred years later here I am.”

Sara listens to the story in the quiet of the cab with big, interested eyes. "10 or 12? Void, Ana... " She says quietly. She lays a hand on Ana's forearm and squeezes. "Well I say it was for the better anyway. It brought you to... to us."

[Ramona]

Sara listens to the story in the quiet of the cab with big, interested eyes. "10 or 12? Void, Ana... " She says quietly. She lays a hand on Ana's forearm and squeezes. "Well I say it was for the better anyway. It brought you to... to us."

“Ya, I don’t really remember how old I was and don’t feel bad about it. I got off that sun baked dustbowl and she died the way she wanted to, knee deep in the blood of her enemies.” Ana grins, “She was a piece of work but she knew how to fight.”

Ana leans back and looks at Sara with a smile, “There was a woman in our village, Elisabet she was our véfréttur, our oracle, our witch. When I was very young Elisabet told me that I would only find happiness when all I knew had turned to smoke and ash. Seemed pretty weird at the time, makes more sense now.”

[lenusmars]

Sara can’t help but smile at the last. "Still that’s a pretty long time to wait... and pretty vague if you think about it. I never had any luck with fortune tellers. I always get the ‘You will meet a tall dark handsome stranger you’ll fall madly in love with.’ line, you know?"

She realizes her hand is still on Ana’s arm, and lets it go with a slight blush as she looks out the window at the surrounding settlement.

"I mean it’s bound to come true sometime." she says, her tone a little odd.

"Hey, I think this is the place."

[Ramona]

Ana tips the cabbie, “Tall dark and handsome is the gimmie in fortune telling, I mean eventually we all run into some super hottie who deserves to be an extra in a Mummy movie.”

She grabs the door handle and opens it up only to be assaulted but the atmospheric oppressiveness that is 42degrees at 4atm with 100% humidity, “Holy cats, like what the hell is so important you feel a need to live in this?”

The cabbie shrugs, Ana offers a hand to Sara and helps her out, the door closes with a click and the cab drives off.

“Dear god, it’s like being in a sauna trapped inside some,” she stops an looks at Sara, “it’s hot, sticky and wet and and not in a good way.”

She looks at a throng of local women in long sleaves, button up shirts and ankle length pants or skirts then watches a couple men go past in shorts and light tops open to their navels.

Ana frowns, “Great. My bathing suit is going to go to my wrists and ankles and I’ll probably die of heat stroke just trying to get it on.” She pulls open to door for Sara.

The inside of the shop is a good 10 degrees cooler, motivational posters and wet suit racks cover the walls, tanks, rebreathers and boyancy articles each have their own sections as well as a sizable selection of swimwear. A tall, skinny blonde girl with tanned skin and washboard abs flashes a smile at Sara and Ana. She’s dressed in a bikini top and a floral print skirt.

“Oh my quad,” Ana says quietly glancing at Sara, “look at that stomach, I feel really inadequate suddenly.”

[lenusmars]

Sara practically wilts under the heat. Once out of the cab she stands for a moment to pull her short hair back into a small pony tail while she mutters something about 'groundhogs' and 'f-ing crazy'

She raises an eyebrow and quirks a smile at Ana's description of the climate.

Ana frowns, “Great. My bathing suit is going to go to my wrists and ankles and I’ll probably die of heat stroke just trying to get it on.” She pulls open to door for Sara.

She follows Ana's gaze to the local women "Wow I hope not." Then mutters under her breath. "but if so don't worry, I'll help."

Inside the store, Sara breathes a sigh at the slight reprieve from the temperature. She looks the blonde girl over appreciatively and smirks at Ana's comment.

"Hi there!" she chirps at the blonde girl, she tilts her head at Ana. "What do you have that'll make her look even more amazing?"

[Ramona]

She follows Ana's gaze to the local women "Wow I hope not." Then mutters under her breath. "but if so don't worry, I'll help."

“If it requires more than four hands to get into and out of I’m going commando.”

Inside the store, Sara breathes a sigh at the slight reprieve from the temperature. She looks the blonde girl over appreciatively and smirks at Ana's comment.

"Hi there!" she chirps at the blonde girl, she tilts her head at Ana. "What do you have that'll make her look even more amazing?"

Ana holds up a hand and points at Sara, “It’ll probably be easier for you to start with this hot little number here. I have, considerations that may make finding something challenging.” Ana pulls her top up an smidge and pulls the front of her pants down below her belly button to reveal a 10-15cm long horizontal scar. The scar is old and faded.

She reaches over and grabs a bikini with Imperial Starbursts on the top, “Fair warning, this would be a no.”

[lenusmars]

Sara contemplates the mark a moment. Another reminder of Ana’s violent past or a cesarean scar? She resists the urge to touch it, while also taking note of the abs that at least rival their attendant. She looks up at Ana’s tawny eyes and half smiles. "Doesn’t look like anything to worry about to me."

Of course the attendant listens to Ana. Ana has the height and that aura of someone who is to be obeyed. Sara accepts the flow and goes through the suits with the blonde girl who is good humored and talkative, and neatly fills Ana’s cliche... and is clearly sending out feelers. Muggy as it is Sara mostly favors two-piece suits in solid colors including an emerald green, a royal blue, a lilac. And comes out of the dressing room each time purportedly to check each suit in the three-panel mirror.

"We should have brought Vee with us. That fire-red one is cute but I can’t pull it off with my skin tone. She could though." She says at one point, looking back at Ana after adjusting the fit of the suit.

She’ll pick whichever Ana seems to find most interesting then help their guide to find something that makes Ana’s eye color pop.

[Ramona]

Sara contemplates the mark a moment. Another reminder of Ana’s violent past or a cesarean scar? She resists the urge to touch it, while also taking note of the abs that at least rival their attendant. She looks up at Ana’s tawny eyes and half smiles. "Doesn’t look like anything to worry about to me."

“There’s more where that came from,” Ana replies.

Of course the attendant listens to Ana. Ana has the height and that aura of someone who is to be obeyed. Sara accepts the flow and goes through the suits with the blonde girl who is good humored and talkative, and neatly fills Ana’s cliche... and is clearly sending out feelers. Muggy as it is Sara mostly favors two-piece suits in solid colors including an emerald green, a royal blue, a lilac. And comes out of the dressing room each time purportedly to check each suit in the three-panel mirror.

"We should have brought Vee with us. That fire-red one is cute but I can’t pull it off with my skin tone. She could though." She says at one point, looking back at Ana after adjusting the fit of the suit.

She’ll pick whichever Ana seems to find most interesting then help their guide to find something that makes Ana’s eye color pop.

Ana appears most struck by the lilac suit Sara comes out in, she nods approvingly and grins.

While Ana is good natured and tries on the bikinis she’s presented with she seems uninterested in even the high waisted suit that hides her scar. Sara notices she has a burn that appears to have been intentionally intensified in the shape of an angular wolfs head between her breasts and a number of smaller, well healed scars on her back. The long line of circular tattoos and symbols down her spine remind Sara of something she saw once but she can’t quite recall where, maybe scout school.

Eventually Ana settles on on two one piece suits, one is white on top and black on bottom with translucent panels on the top and middle that remind Sara of the old picture Ana showed her. The other is an all black body glove with a zipper in front and three quarter length sleaves with a colourful tropical print.

Ana takes a picture of the red suit and sends it to Vee with a single word, “Interested?”

“So,” Ana says looking at the sales girl, “we want to go diving, our ships off loading, loading refueling and we need to get out of our captains hair for the next 6 to 8 hours.”

She grabs a few dive books and puts them on the counter, “He’s talking about setting up a regular route so we may even be back every couple months. Where can we find a guy or girl to take us out and show us the ropes?”

[ffilz]

Taylor can take you out, are you just looking for a 1-day package, or the 3-day certification course?

[joertexas]

Ana takes a picture of the red suit and sends it to Vee with a single word, “Interested?”

"Yes!!" Vee texts back.

[Ramona]

Taylor can take you out, are you just looking for a 1-day package, or the 3-day certification course?

Didn’t we decide Sara and I don’t require the 3 day course course?
“I think we’re dusting in the wee hours so just the 1 day please.”

[ffilz]

Taylor can take you out, are you just looking for a 1-day package, or the 3-day certification course?

Didn’t we decide Sara and I don’t require the 3 day course course?
“I think we’re dusting in the wee hours so just the 1 day please.”

Sara we had established did have Diving-0, did we establish that for you? I forget... (this has been rather a long time getting to this point...).

[Ramona]

Welcome to play by post.

I believe we did because of military stuff and the fact that 3 extra days was going to take us to July to finish. I’ll look and find it. August 14, I left it up to you, then you left it up to me, so yes, yes I do. There was also a post about learning vac suit 0 from Sara and Vee.

[Ramona]

Ana takes a picture of the red suit and sends it to Vee with a single word, “Interested?”

"Yes!!" Vee texts back.

Ana obtains all the pertinent measures, chest, hips, cup and purchases the appropriate sizes.

[ffilz]

I beleive we did because of military stuff and the fact that 3 extra days was going to take us to July to finish. I’ll look and find it. August 14, I left it up to you, then you left it up to me, so yes, yes I do. There was also a post about learning vac suit 0 from Sara and Vee.

Ok, fair enough. So Ana and Sara take the 1-day course and familiarize themselves with the conditions on this world. I will post later to let you know the types of creatures you are warned about.

[Ramona]

Flora too, pretty fire coral + bikini does not = nice souvenir.

[ffilz]

Taylor says you may encounter the following near the islands:

30 ton swimming reducer with teeth 8D-3
.5 kg flying carrion eater with claws 1 pt
25 kg swimming grazer with claws 1D+3 and Jack
6 kg swimming hunter with claws 1D+3-1D, teeth 2D-3-1D
400 kg swimming intermittent with horns 4D-5
6 ton swimming grazer with claws 2D+3 and teeth 4D-3
12 kg triphibian intermittent with thrasher 2D+2
6 ton swimming chaser with blade 4D
100 kg swimming chaser with +1 claws 1D+3
800 kg amphibian chaser with stinger 6D-6 and jack

I'll try and come up with more description, but inventing a whole slew of animals is quite some effort... Just spent about an hour with the Animal Encounters tables...

Some of the above critters also are encountered in the caves, library data will also show additional critters in the caves:

1600 kg Amphibian hijacker with claws 5D+3 and teeth 6D-3
800 kg swimming reducer with claws 4D+3 and teeth 5D-3 and jack
1600 kg swimming filter with +1 claws 5D+3 and +1 teeth 6D-3
12 kg swimming intermittent with no weaponry
100 kg swimming grazer with teeth 2D-3 and jack
800 kg amphibian pouncer with +1 claws 4D+3 and +1 teeth 4D-3 and jack

Hmm, no tentacles... I might have to put some of those in... The animal tables really aren't great for sea creatures...